Vancouver City Councillor

Viaducts replacement won’t impact ambulance trips to St. Paul’s — first responders don’t use the Viaducts

There are good reasons to challenge the proposal to move St. Paul’s Hospital to False Creek Flats, but the fear that ambulances will not be able to connect as quickly to the new site is not one of them.

Why?

Because first responders don’t use the Viaducts today.

Vancouver Burrard MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert raises many good questions about the provision of services to West End residents in the latest Westender — strangely the article is not available online — but is making an understandable mistake when he reminds readers that the Viaducts will go.

No problem.

As last month’s report to council made clear, “staff have heard from emergency service providers that they do not use the Viaducts due to concerns that they can easily become stranded on the elevated roadways if there is an accident.”

Geoff Meggs was elected to City Council in November 2008 on the Vision Vancouver team led by Gregor Robertson. He lives with his wife, Jan O’Brien in a False Creek town house. They have two adult daughters. READ MORE